Spit under bridge.

[martylee]

Before the crash we had a thread with the Spitfire flying under the bridge. Could someone please help me with a link to the movie?

 

Marty

[Degsy]

Marty I think it was from the TV series 'Piece of Cake' which was adapted from the novel by Tim Robinson, it is available on DVD.

[Jessie The Jeep]

Winston Bridge, Co Durham, over the river Tees.

 

http://www.hmvftv.com/watch/0de0cfea955afd4644bb/Spitfire-passing-under-a-stone-bridge

 

It was 20 years ago this year, since Ray Hanna flew under the 100 ft span bridge, the largest single span stone bridge in the country.

 

Steve

Edited May 1, 2008 by Marmite!!

[private mw]

wow that was fantastic ,cheers :clap:................:coffee:

[martylee]

Thanks for reposting that link for me. I really enjoyed it, and it deserves a spot here!

 

Marty

[AlienFTM]

There used to be a "Spitfire Bridge" near Winchester, carrying the A272 over the Winchester by-pass, so-called because of a similar incident. (I dunno if this is in any way relevant, but after the Itchen and Woolston Supermarine factories were bombed out in September 1940, devastating Spitfire production - though luckily a start had already been made to disperse production around the country - and the work of these two factories was moved to Hursley Park, south of Winchester. This remained Supermarine's, and then Vickers' HQ until the 1950s when the site was sold to its incumbent, IBM UK, where I work today. Further, once built they were flown to Worthy Down, north of Winchester, which was a Royal Navy Air Station, HMS Kestrel - claimed sunk by Lord Haw-Haw in 1942. Hmm. It was from Worthy Down that I transferred to the Reserve in 1989.)

 

When the M3 extension from Winchester to Southampton was built in the 1980s - 90s, Spitfire Bridge had to be demolished and rebuilt many times its previous size to cater. But it is still known as Spitfire Bridge.

[thedawnpatrol]

Yes, It is known as 'Spitfire Bridge' but it was actually a P40 Kittyhawk that made that flight!

 

Jules

[antarmike]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OF0v1dwYC8&feature=related

[Jessie The Jeep]

That footage was from 'Foyles War', using the 'Piece of Cake' footage for the bridge scene. You'll not that the Spit changes from Green/Grey at take off, to Green/Brown under the bridge!

[antarmike]

To my eyes it looks like it loses it's cannons and becomes an all machine gun spit under the bridge....

[Jessie The Jeep]

It doesn't look like it from the video, but the still image from the 'Making a Piece of Cake' book shows the aircraft did still have its cannons fitted. While incorrect for the Battle of Britain period they were portraying in 'Piece of Cake', it was going to cost £30k per aircraft to dismantle the wings and remove the cannons for filming, so they were left in place.

 

Five real Spits were used for 'PoC' plus several GRP versions. Some had engines fitted to turn the prop, one was able to taxi using hydraulic motors driving the wheels, and the others were just set dressing and for blowing up.

 

Steve

[David B.]

I remember working on "A Piece of Cake",filming the airfield scenes somewhere in Wiltshire. I was there with a Hillman Utility as part of the RAF ground vehicle complement. Terrific fun with the Spitfires taxying up to and around the vehicles and ground crews.

Rumour had it that that Ray Hanna or one of the other pilots lost a tail wheel through clouting an artic on take off as the truck passed by on a nearby road although I never found out if it was true -Any ideas?

Tearing up and down on someone elses G3L whilst doubling for one of the characters celebrating his first "kill " was also good fun although peeling off the fake handlebar moustache afterwards was not so good!

[Jack]

There used to be a "Spitfire Bridge" near Winchester, carrying the A272 over the Winchester by-pass, so-called because of a similar incident. (I dunno if this is in any way relevant, but after the Itchen and Woolston Supermarine factories were bombed out in September 1940, devastating Spitfire production - though luckily a start had already been made to disperse production around the country - and the work of these two factories was moved to Hursley Park, south of Winchester. This remained Supermarine's, and then Vickers' HQ until the 1950s when the site was sold to its incumbent, IBM UK, where I work today. Further, once built they were flown to Worthy Down, north of Winchester, which was a Royal Navy Air Station, HMS Kestrel - claimed sunk by Lord Haw-Haw in 1942. Hmm. It was from Worthy Down that I transferred to the Reserve in 1989.)

 

When the M3 extension from Winchester to Southampton was built in the 1980s - 90s, Spitfire Bridge had to be demolished and rebuilt many times its previous size to cater. But it is still known as Spitfire Bridge.

 

 

I can remember my father telling me this story too as we used to drive under it.